Adjustable valve for bathtubs or the like

ABSTRACT

AN ADJUSTABLE VALVE FOR USE IN A BATHTUB, BASIN, OR THE LIKE TO SELECT THE OVERFLOW LEVEL OF THE WATER THEREIN. THE VALVE INCLUDES A COVER ROTATABLY MOUNTED RELATIVE TO A HOUSING SECURED TO THE SIDE WALL OF THE TUB AND HAVING A LIQUID FLOW PASSAGE THAT COMMUNICATES WITH THE EXIT PORT IN THE TUB. INDICATING MEANS IS PROVIDED TO SELECT THE DESIRED LEVEL OF WATER BEFORE IT WILL OVERFLOW THROUGH THE SAFETY VALVE, WITH CONTROL MEANS TO BE GRIPPED BY THE USER IN ADJUSTING THE COVER. DEPENDING ON THE SIZE OF THE COVER THE RANGE OF ADJUSTMENT MAY BE FROM TWO TO FIFTEEN INCHES, OR MORE.

March 16, 1971 M. KATO 3,570,020

ADJUSTABLE VALVE FOR BATHTUBS OR THE LIKE Filed July 22, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG./

INVIINI'UH. MIKIO KATO March 16, 1971 M. KATO 3,570,020

ADJUSTABLE VALVE FOR BATHTUBS OR THE LIKE Filed July 22, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ///f/// 1 u a mvmv'mn. 86 2 MIKIO KATO United States Patent Ofice 3,570,020 Patented Mar. 16, 1971 3,570,020 ADJUSTABLE VALVE FOR BATHTUBS OR THE LIKE Mikio Kato, 1003 Nottingham Place, La Vale, Md. 21502 Filed July 22, 1969, Ser. No. 843,302 Int. Cl. E03c ]/244 vs. Cl. 4-206 18 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An adjustable valve for use in a bathtub, basin, or the like to select the overflow level of the water therein. The valve includes a cover rotatably mounted relative to a housing secured to the side wall of the tub and having a liquid flow passage that communicates with the exit port in the tub. Indicating means is provided to select the desired level of water before it will overflow through the safety valve, with control means to be gripped by the user in adjusting the cover. Depending on the size of the cover the range of adjustment may be from two to fifteen inches, or more.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the construction of an adjustable overflow valve for tubs, basins and the like in particular to a new and useful valve having an adjustable overflow.

Bathroom tubs and sinks generally have an overflow valve which consists of a mere opening at a fixed height through which the overflow exists. No provision is made for variations to provide selective levels depending upon the choice of the user. For example, a mother might wish for her infant child to maintain a ten inch level, or an adult might wish a twenty inch level. The user of the bathtub may wish to maintain a level of say fifteen inches while sitting in the tub and continuously letting fresh water pour in, and this is not possible with prior art devices. Since they have the disadvantage of not being adjustable.

The present invention is applicable to any form of tank in which fluid is placed or stored and control of the level therein is desired. Since this invention finds ideal application to a bathtub or sink it will be so illustrated and described, with the Word tub used in its generic sense herein.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide an adjustable valve to be used in conjunction with a tub to control the liquid level therein.

Another object is to provide an adjustable valve used in a tub that permits the user to visually determine the selected overflow level.

Another object of the invention is to provide an overflow valve which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

Other objects of the present invention will be obvious as the disclosure proceeds.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The adjustable valve includes a housing means which has an opening therein for alignment with an outlet port on the tub. Means for coupling the housing means to the tub is provided as by a series of bolts or threaded members with a sealing gasket extending between the wall of the tub and the back face of the housing means. Cover means is provided with a liquid flow passage extending therethrough with means for mounting the cover means relative to the housing means with the passage being in communicating relation to the opening in the housing and in turn the exit port in the tub. The mounting means permits the angular positionment of the cover means in a variety of positions to vary the spacing of the passage from the bottom of the tub to control the height of liquid therein. Sealing means extends between the housing means and cover means to provide a fluid tight seal therebetween.

So that the user may select the desired overflow height, level indicating means is provided that indicates the height in inches from the bottom of the tub. The range is determined by the diameter of the cover means and in a sense the user dials a particular setting. Although the cover is illustrated as circular for angular rotation it may be constructed so that the cover means and passage are vertically adjustable to provide the desired height adjustment for liquid level control. To permit the user to easily adjust the cover means control means is provided which may be in the form of a handle.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Although the characteristic features of this invention will be particularly pointed out in the claims, the invention itself, and the manner in which it may be made and used, may be better understood by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tub having an adjustable valve constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the adjustable valve;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view taken along line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3, showing the cover means in its closed position and locked in place relative to the housing means.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION Referring to the drawings in particular and the invention embodied therein of an adjustable valve 10 associated with a bathtub 12 having the usual water control handles 14 which are positioned on a substantially vertically disposed wall 15 of the tub 12 and a water spout 16 through which the liquid will enter, with an overflow exit port r18 on the wall 15 as seen in FIG. 3. A handoperated drain stopper actuating element 20 is included on the bottom wall 22 in communicating relation to a drain 24. The tub and all of the elements might be of the conventional type and are included herein to merely illustrate their relationship to the present invention of an adjustable valve 10.

The adjustable valve 10 is for use in regulating the level of liquid 25 in the tub 12 and includes a housing means 26 adapted to be mounted on the wall 15 of the tub 12 having a housing body 28 with a rear face 30 and a front face 32 in spaced relation to each other with an annular outwardly extending outer flange 34 and an inner flange 36 both terminating at the rear face 30*. An axial opening or port 38 extends between the faces 30 and 32 with a downwardly extending lip or closure means 40 at the upper section of the housing body portion 28 extending thereacross for a purpose hereinafter discussed. To provide a liquid tight seal between the housing means 26 and the tub 12 coupling means 42 is provided to secure the housing to the inner wall 15 of the tub 12 and simultaneously communicating with the exit port 18 in the tub. The coupling means 42 may include a series of bolts 44 extending through the inner flange 36 and threadably engaged with the tub 12 with sealing means extending therebetween in the form of a sealing gasket 45 of compressible material between the rear face 30 of the housing body 28 and the wall 15. When mounted the opening 38 is in communicating relation with and at least partially overlapping with the exit port 18 to permit the liquid to exit therethrough. As seen the opening 38 may have a larger cross-sectional area than the exit port 18 and the latter positioned substantially at the bottom of the opening 38 so that when the cover means 46 is at its lowest position as hereafter explained, the liquid may flow out from the tub 12.

To selectively control the setting for the elevation of the liquid 25 in the tub 12 cover means 46 is provided having an oflfset liquid flow passage 48 extending through the cover member 50 between its front surface 52 and rear surface 54. The liquid flow passage 48 may include one or more channels or slots which are spaced apart from each other to form a grating to prevent objects from being lodged therein. Obviously, the size and shape of the liquid flow passage 48 may vary with the particular size of the tub 12 and the adjustable valve 10. The cover means 46 has a radially extending inwardly directed skirt 55 terminating in an outwardly extending rim 56 having a bottom edge 58 adapted to co-act with the abutting outer fiat surface 60 of the housing body 28. The inner surface diameter 62 of the skirt 55 is dimensioned to have a minimal clearance with that of the outer surface diameter 64 of the shoulder portion 65 of the housing body 28. The slight clearance between the respective circular parts permits angular rotation between the cover means 46 and the housing means 26 to easily vary the location of the liquid fiow passage 48.

Mounting means 66 is provided for maintaining the cover means 46 in coaxial alignment with the housing means '26 and the liquid flow passage 48 in communicating relation to the opening 38 in the housing body 28 to permit the desired relative angular movement therebetween. In this manner, the level of liquid 25 in the tub 12 before an overflow through the liquid flow passage 48 occurs will be controlled. The mounting means 66 includes an annular ring 67 having a threaded inner portion 68 extending over an axial length, with a downwardly extending arm 70 at one end thereof which is adapted to restrain the radial rim 56 of the cover means 46. This is obtained by the inner threaded portion 68 of the mounting means 66 mating with the outer threaded section 72 of the body portion 28. The outer peripheral surface 74 of the ring 67 may be knurled or have some other friction surface to permit rotation by the user of the valve even when his fingers are wet. As seen in respect to FIG. 2, when the ring 67 is rotated in the clockwise direction, as indicated by the arrow 75, then the arm 70 of the ring 67 presses against the rim 56 of the cover means 46, and by proper adjustment of the ring 67 it has the duel function of acting as the mounting means 66 and locking means since it acts as a pressure applying member co-acting between the cover means 46 and the housing means 26 to maintain them in a selected fixed position as seen in FIG. 4.

There are instances when it is desired to position the adjustable valve 10 at a pre-selected level and to prevent the level from being altered by the child or someone else who might be using the adjustable valve. Accordingly, the present invention permits the cover means 46 to be freely rotatable with respect to the housing means 26 and adjusted to a desired height. Then the ring 67 is so adjusted that it is completely tightened to lock the cover means 46 in place. This is done by rotating the ring 67 in the direction of the arrow 75 until the edge 58 abuts the surface 60 with the liquid flow passage being positioned at a certain desired level.

To maintain a liquid tight seal between the housing means 26 and the cover means 46 sealing means 76 is provided and may take various forms and shapes, but as illustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 it includes a compressible member 77 such as an O-ring positioned in an annular groove 78 and in a conventional manner seals the spacing between the outer surface 64 of the body portion 28 and the inner surface 62 of the skirt 55 of the cover means 46. In addition, a depression 80 is provided across the front of the housing body 28 to accept a sealing gasket 82 of compressable material such as rubber or plastic with an overhang portion that overlaps the lip 40 as seen in FIG. 1, extending across its face so that as hereafter explained the adjustable valve 10 may be positioned in either a closed position wherein no liquid may pass therethrough or in an open position. As illustrated in FIG. 4, We have the cover means 46 in its uppermost position such that the liquid flow passage 48 is no longer in communicating relationship with the opening 38 and in turn the exit port 18. One reason for providing a closed or off position, as indicated in FIG. 2, is that there are those instances in which the level of liquid might be desired to extend above the range of the adjustable valve 10.

So that the user may repeatedly adjust the valve 10 to an exact level, indicating means 85 is included and associated with the housing means 26 and cover means 46, and includes an indicator or pointer 86, as particularly seen in FIG. 2. The cover member 50 has contained on the upper surface 88 of the outer flange 34 a series of indicia on a scale in the form of numerals 90 that coincide with inscribed lines 92 to indicate the liquid level of the calibrated adjustable valve 10 in the range provided. The off position is indicated at '93. The valve 10 might vary for each application and may have, as illustrated, a range of fifteen inches in height such that when positioned on the tub 12 a range of from 10 to 25 inches may be provided, in like manner the total range may be 3 inches, or 30 inches, depending on the physical size of the tub.

To facilitate the ease of rotation of the cover means 46, control means 94 is provided and connected to the cover means 46 to be gripped by the user to facilitate rotation. The control means 94 is illustrated in the form of a handle 95 secured by a rivet 96 to the cover member 50 and having indentations and extended areas with a shaft 97 abutting the front surface 52 of the cover member 50.

The representative components of the adjustable valve 10 may be made out of stainless steel or chrome plated or from some other non-corrosive material including plastic to withstand the various liquids that it may come into contact with.

I claim:

1. An adjustable valve for regulating the level of liquid in a bathtub or the like comprising:

(A) housing means having an opening extending therethrough, and capable of being mounted on an inner wall of the tub, in substantially fixed position rela tive thereto,

(B) means for coupling said means in said substantially fixed position relative to an inner wall of the tub with said opening communicating with an exit port in the tub,

(C) cover means having an offset liquid flow passage extending therethrough,

(D) means for mounting said cover means relative to said housing means with said liquid flow passage in communicating relation to said opening in said housing means to permit relative angular movement therebetween, so that the position of said liquid flow passage relative to the bottom of the tub may be adjusted to vary the level of liquid in the tub before an overflow through said liquid flow passage occurs, and

(D) control means connected to said cover means to be gripped by the user and which facilitates said angular adjustment thereof.

2. An adjustable valve as in claim 1, and further including sealing means extending between said housing means and said cover means to provide a liquid tight seal therebetween.

3. An adjustable valve as in claim 1, and further including level indicating means associated with said housing means and said cover means to indicate the liquid level to which the adjustable valve is set.

4. An adjustable valve as in claim 1, and further including locking means for releasably retaining said cover means in a fixed position relative to said housing means.

5. An adjustable valve as in claim 1, and further including closure means for closing said valve to prevent liquid from entering said opening in said housing means to thereby inactivate same.

6. An adjustable valve as in claim 1, wherein said housing means includes a radially extending flange having a series of bolt holes extending therethrough and said coupling means includes a series of bolts adapted to extend through said bolt holes into the tub.

7. An adjustable valve as in claim 2, wherein said sealing means includes an annular member of compressible material positioned on said housing means which engages an overlapping portion of said cover means to provide the liquid tight seal therebetween.

8. An adjustable valve as in claim 3, wherein, said level indicating means includes an indicator on said cover means and a scale on said housing means wherein the user may selectively adjust the cover means to the desired liquid level.

9. An adjustable valve as in claim 4, wherein said locking means includes a pressure applying member co-acting between said cover means and said housing means to maintain them in a selected position.

10. An adjustable valve as in claim 9, wherein:

(A) said housing means includes a housing body having a rear face and spaced apart front face with said opening extending between said faces and a peripheral threaded section, terminating in an outer surface substantially flat and parallel to the adjacent front face,

(B) said cover means includes a substantially fiat cover member with said liquid flow passage extending therethrough, and a skirt radially extending and inwardly directed from said cover member terminating in an outwardly extending rim having a bottom edge adapted to co-act with said substantially flat surface, and

(C) said pressure applying member includes a ring having an inner threaded portion engageable with said peripheral threaded section and a downwardly extending arm at substantially one end thereof which is adapted to restrain said rim, so that when said ring is tightened said arm engages said rim to bring its bottom edge in abutting relationship with said flat surface wherein said cover means is retained in a selected fixed position relative to said housing means.

11. An adjustable valve for regulating the level of liquid in a bath tub or the like, having an exit port mounted on a substantially vertically disposed wall thereof, comprising:

(A) housing means having an opening extending therethrough,

(B) means for coupling said housing means to an inner wall of said tub with said opening communicating with the exit port,

(C) cover means having an offset liquid flow passage extending therethrough, said liquid flow passage being of substantially smaller cross-sectional area than said cover means,

(D) means for mounting said cover means relative to said housing means to permit relative angular movement therebetween, to selectively adjust said liquid flow passage to a desired position to control the level of liquid in the tub before an overflow through said liquid flow passage occurs, said passage being in communicating relation with said opening in said housing,

(E) sealing means extending between said housing 6 means and cover means to provide a liquid tight seal therebetween,

(F) level indicating means associated with said housing means and said cover means which indicates the liquid level to which the adjustable valve is set, and

(G) control means capable of being gripped by the user and connected to said cover means to facilitate the angular adjustment thereof.

12. An adjustable valve as in claim 11, and further including locking means for releasably retaining said cover means in a fixed position relative to said housing means.

13. An adjustable valve as in claim 11, and further including closure means for closing said valve to prevent liquid from entering said opening in said housing means to thereby inactivate same.

14. An adjustable valve as in claim 11, wherein said liquid flow passage has a grating extending thereacross to prevent objects from being lodged therein.

15. An adjustable valve as in claim 11, wherein said sealing means includes an annular member of compressible material positioned on said housing means which engages an overlapping portion of said cover means to provide the liquid tight seal therebetween.

16. An adjustable valve as in claim 11, wherein said level indicating means includes an indicator on said cover means and a scale on said housing means wherein the user may selectively adjust the cover means to the desired liquid level.

17. An adjustable valve as in claim 11, and further including sealing means adapted to extend between said housing means and the inner wall of said tub.

18. An adjustable valve as in claim 12, wherein (A) said housing means includes a housing body having a rear face and spaced apart front face with said opening extending between said faces and a peripheral threaded section, terminating in an outer surface substantially fiat and parallel to the adjacent front face,

(B) said cover means includes a substantially flat cover member with said liquid flow passage extending therethrough, and a skirt radially extending and inwardly directed from said cover member terminating in an outwardly extending rim having a bottom edge adapted to co-act with said substantially flat surface, and

(C) said locking means including an annular ring having an inner threaded portion engageable with said peripheral threaded section and a downwardly extending arm at substantially one end thereof which is adapted to restrain said rim, so that when said ring is tightened said arm engages said rim to bring its bottom edge in abutting relationship with said fiat surface wherein said cover means is retained in a selected fixed position relative to said housing means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 328,354 10/1885 Stears 4206X 1,262,545 4/ 1918 Mueller 4206 1,531,322 3/1925 Waechter 4206 2,398,921 4/1946 Cook 4--206 2,405,849 8/1946 Riker 4-206 3,221,347 12/ 1965 Emery 4206 3,497,878 3/1970 Emery 4206 FOREIGN PATENTS 351,379 2/ 1961 Switzerland 4-206 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner D. B. MASSENBERG, Assistant Examiner 

